The Scarlet Witch/ Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug

Chapter 6: Bard

I sprint for a while through the woods, not knowing how far ahead I am or if I'm getting any closer to the dwarves. I still fought some orcs that were strangling a bit here and there but other than that, it was just running for me. I used my powers to look ahead, seeing that the dwarves are alright and still drifting down the river but the current is starting to slow down. I'm sweaty and exhausted. My clothes were soaked and my boots were squelchy and gross. I haven't stopped to take a breather at all, so all that running Gandalf made me do really paid off. I look back for a second noticing that I have lost the orcs. Thank god.

I slow my pace just a bit to a light jog, still following the rivers path. As I break through some bushes, I can hear a booming voice not far from where I am. I know that voice anywhere.

"Anything behind us?" Thorin yells, paddling with a branch.

"None that I can see!" Balin answers.

All thirteen dwarves and one hobbit, are all safe and sound, still floating slowly in their barrels in the still water. I sigh in relief.

Bofur emerges from his barrel, spitting out water in the process. "I think we've out run the Orcs."

"Not for long. We've lost the current." Thorin informs them.

"Bombur's half drowned!" Dwalin obverses. 

Thorin looks over to the bigger dwarf before his gaze falls on me at the shore. I wave, letting him know I'm alright. "Make for the shore. Over to Y/N. Come on. Let's go!"

The dwarves paddle their way over to me quickly and carefully, greeting me happily as they do. As soon as the first one makes shore, I help them out of the barrel. Everyone looks as exhausted as I am. I can't blame them. I hear a painful groan come from behind me. I turn around seeing Kili falling to his knees, clutching his thigh in pain. Both me and Bofur rush over to his aid. He uses a cloth to dab at the wound to stop the bleeding, while grimacing. He stops, glancing between me and Bofur's concerned looks.

"I'm fine. It's nothing." He grumbles.

"It's not nothing." I tell him, firmly, shaking my head, causing a few strands of my nasty nappy hair to fall in my face.

"It is. Do not worry about me." He glances from my eyes, to my cheek. "Worry about you." 

There was a small cut on my cheek, from when I helped Legolas earlier. I didn't even feel it in the heat of the moment until the adrenaline wore off. The orcs sword nicked me just a bit because he was in mid swing, about to attack the elf, when I stabbed him. It was nothing. I lift my hand, wiping the fresh blood.

"It's nothing. Just a scratch." 

Thorin marches by. "On your feet."

"Kili's wounded. His legs need binding." Fili informs him.

"There's an orc pack on our tail." He replies urgently before he looks to me. "Are they close?"

I reach out quickly, my eyes flash red as I do, scanning for the Orcs to see how far behind they are. "They're far, but not too far." I inform him.

He nods. "We must keep moving." 

Balin walks up a bit, "To where?"

"To the mountain. We're so close." Bilbo chimes in, shivering from the cold water.

"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it." Balin tells him.

As they talk about our next move, I help Fili bind Kili's leg. Yes, he was only shot with an arrow and where it was wouldn't have been that bad, but it didn't look normal. Something wasn't right with it.